Syrian PM becomes first cabinet minister to defect
Syria’s Prime Minister Riad Hijab defects to Jordan, according to Jordanian government officials. It’s the highest ranking defection from the Assad regime so far.
Hijab, a Sunni Muslim from Syria’s Sunni province of Deir al-Zor, was also a ruling Baath Party apparatchik.
It’s the latest in a string of defections from President Bashar al-Assad’s political and military circles, including a senior Syrian intelligence officer.
The news came as violence intensified in several cities, including Aleppo and Damascus.
The Syrian state TV and radio building was damaged in a bomb blast early on Monday.
At least three people were wounded, but state TV continued broadcasting.
Assad had appointed Hijab, a former agriculture minister, as prime minister in June following a parliamentary election which came after more than a year of violent protests against Assad’s rule.
It was also claimed by Bassam Ishak, an executive member of the main opposition group the Syrian National Council, that two other ministers and three brigadier generals had defected with Mr Hijab, although they were not named.
Syrian state TV had earlier announced that Prime Minister Hijab, who had been appointed in June, had been sacked, and that Omar Ghalawanji, who was a previously a deputy prime minister, had been appointed to lead a temporary caretaker government.
But Jordanian officials said Hijab had not been sacked, but had deserted the Assad regime.
“Hijab is in Jordan with his family,” said the official.
Assad had appointed Hijab, a former agriculture minister, as prime minister in June following a parliamentary election which came after more than a year of violent protests against Assad’s rule.